Cops and Stops

This book focuses on the controversial aggressive police practices employed to control crime by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the harm that has resulted and may further be produced if not checked. Informed by the author’s personal experience as a retired NYPD Captain, as well as by his research in the field, this book explains the broad influence of stop and frisk as well as other aggressive policies.

In the mid-1990s, with the election of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, a new era of aggressive policing began in New York City. While apparently helping lead to a decline in crime, the side effects of tactics such as stop and frisk led to powerful repercussions. A new Inspector General was appointed, the department came under federal review for racist and unconstitutional stops, and officers were required to record almost every citizen interaction. Names of individuals affected by these tactics, including Amadou Diallo, Eric Garner, and Abner Louima, among others, remain in the public consciousness. Practices such as stop and frisk in part fueled social justice movements like Black Lives Matter, and their use erodes public trust in the police, with many calling for increased scrutiny of police power, reduced police budgets, and even abolishment.

Designed for students in criminal justice programs as well as recruits in police training, this book explains and critiques stop and frisk and related tactics and recommends paths to a better future.